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找不著北

简找不着北 · 繁找不著北

Mandarin · pinyin zhǎo bu zháo běi

to be confused and disoriented

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Characters in this entry

找: zhǎo · search, seek, look for; find
不: bù · no, not; un-; negative prefix
著: zhù · zhe · manifest; (Cant.) to wear
北: běi · north; northern; northward
着: zhe · make move, take action

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3–5–2–3 · zhao3 bu5 zhao2 bei3

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

找不著北 · find source passages ↗ · 找不着北 · find source passages ↗

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(colloquial) to be lost and confused; to be unable to find one's direction

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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